A group of Swedish police officers have posted a video on Facebook welcoming newly-arrived refugees to Sweden and wishing them luck in their new country.
The video features nine police officers speaking to the camera in Swedish in separate clips, offering kind words of support.
"Welcome to our beautiful country. We hope that Sweden can help you with whatever help you need. We hope everything turns out alright for you with school, work, housing, or maybe reuniting with your family," says one male police officer kneeling on the grass as he pets his black service dog.
"We're the same, you and I," says another.
"We're equals, with the exact same rights and obligations. You can believe in whatever you want, whichever God you want, express your opinion about whatever you want, marry whoever you want," says another.
A brief text in English below the video reads: "Hello, we want to especially welcome you who have come to Sweden from another country!"
Posted on the official police Facebook site on Thursday, the video had been viewed more than 35,000 times by Friday midday.
Mikael Ericson, one of the police officers in the video, told AFP the clip was a private initiative undertaken by him and his colleagues, but approved by their superiors.
"We have noticed in our work that many of the people who come here are fleeing oppressive regimes and they've been beaten, oppressed and shot at by police, so of course they're afraid of us when they come here ... they don't trust us, they're terrified," he said.
"This film is a way for us to show them that we are here for everyone."
In the comments field, many hailed the police initiative but there were several racist remarks as well.
A group of Swedish police officers have posted a video on Facebook welcoming newly-arrived refugees to Sweden and wishing them luck in their new country.
The video features nine police officers speaking to the camera in Swedish in separate clips, offering kind words of support.
“Welcome to our beautiful country. We hope that Sweden can help you with whatever help you need. We hope everything turns out alright for you with school, work, housing, or maybe reuniting with your family,” says one male police officer kneeling on the grass as he pets his black service dog.
“We’re the same, you and I,” says another.
“We’re equals, with the exact same rights and obligations. You can believe in whatever you want, whichever God you want, express your opinion about whatever you want, marry whoever you want,” says another.
A brief text in English below the video reads: “Hello, we want to especially welcome you who have come to Sweden from another country!”
Posted on the official police Facebook site on Thursday, the video had been viewed more than 35,000 times by Friday midday.
Mikael Ericson, one of the police officers in the video, told AFP the clip was a private initiative undertaken by him and his colleagues, but approved by their superiors.
“We have noticed in our work that many of the people who come here are fleeing oppressive regimes and they’ve been beaten, oppressed and shot at by police, so of course they’re afraid of us when they come here … they don’t trust us, they’re terrified,” he said.
“This film is a way for us to show them that we are here for everyone.”
In the comments field, many hailed the police initiative but there were several racist remarks as well.
